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Cup Holder ambient lights

glenpod

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#1
Hi all, new member who just picked up my 2022 ST last night (coming from a 17 XLT). I am absolutely loving it, one question I have is do the cupholders have the ambient lights? I thought it did but mine doesn't. - thanks!
 

Cdubya

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#2
Just another feature they stripped out.
 

OP
G

glenpod

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Thread Starter #3
Thank you, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing a setting that I needed to activate or something. Odd feature to remove but oh well. thx again
 

st8

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#4
They removed it on all 2022 fords. I am going to pressing ford on the issue. In the middle of it.
 

hbalek

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#5
They look great on my 2020 ST but bad design. Any small amount of water or condensation leaks into them and shorts them out. Luckily for me once it dries out it lights up again. I've learned to put a napkin under the cup or bottle so it doesn't happen anymore.
 

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Merritt Island, FL, USA
#6
They look great on my 2020 ST but bad design. Any small amount of water or condensation leaks into them and shorts them out. Luckily for me once it dries out it lights up again. I've learned to put a napkin under the cup or bottle so it doesn't happen anymore.
That why mine stopped working?
 

TeeJay_ST

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Austin, TX, USA
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#7
Dang they really screwed us 22' guys.. wonder why all the changes.
 

st8

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#8
Dang they really screwed us 22' guys.. wonder why all the changes.
Bad design? Chip shortage? Likely the latter. However, we arguably have a More reliable car than the 21s and certainly than the 20s. Not guaranteed but likely true. I’ll take the reliability over some cupholder lights that are known to go out.
 

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#10
Can anyone say 4 bolt sub frame?
this, ill take my glitchy 20 with a four bolt subframe over a 21-22 that still have all the same bugs and a weaker subframe/diff... I think the ST is the only instance of any vehicle where the first year model was the one you want lol
 

st8

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#11
this, ill take my glitchy 20 with a four bolt subframe over a 21-22 that still have all the same bugs and a weaker subframe/diff... I think the ST is the only instance of any vehicle where the first year model was the one you want lol
Lol wait you can’t be serious? No doubt the subframe is a concern but the 21s and certainly the 22s are more refined in just about every way. No sure what same bugs you’re referring to. And I’m not saying every car will be perfect despite being newer. But in general, the 22 is more refined. There has been folks from the factories that have reported the engineering improvements that have been performed. Just like the 23 will be even more improved and so on.
 

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#12
hey to each their own, ill keep my 4 bolt and light up cup holders lol... I havent seen enough of these refinements in which you speak to convince me that Ford hasn't downgraded these every year since they've came out. I can however find a whole list of things they've changed that have downgraded them.
 

st8

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#13
hey to each their own, ill keep my 4 bolt and light up cup holders lol... I havent seen enough of these refinements in which you speak to convince me that Ford hasn't downgraded these every year since they've came out. I can however find a whole list of things they've changed that have downgraded them.
Lol you obviously haven’t browsed enough of these forums. Check out the Facebook groups if you have it. You’ll learn.

As for downgrades, yeah, well they also reduced the cost of the ST by at least $2k. So you paid more, and got a little extra. Imagine that.
 

KegsBdry

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#14
hey to each their own, ill keep my 4 bolt and light up cup holders lol... I havent seen enough of these refinements in which you speak to convince me that Ford hasn't downgraded these every year since they've came out. I can however find a whole list of things they've changed that have downgraded them.
I tend to agree. It seems there are less standard features going into the 2021+ versions. That goes for any 2021+ vehicle out there now. It seems car makers don't want to hold the vehicle on their lot for months at a time because parts are not available. So they take the option away to get it out the door.

One of my favorite things to do is BUILD A VEHICLE. Most car makers list less standard options than what was available back in 2020. It's a shame.
 

st8

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#15
I tend to agree. It seems there are less standard features going into the 2021+ versions. That goes for any 2021+ vehicle out there now. It seems car makers don't want to hold the vehicle on their lot for months at a time because parts are not available. So they take the option away to get it out the door.

One of my favorite things to do is BUILD A VEHICLE. Most car makers list less standard options than what was available back in 2020. It's a shame.
Yeah you are right. I mean I think that’s for a lot of manufacturers right now. I think all these manufacturers are cheap and always looking for ways to cheap out.

I also wonder if it’s because the money they end up dumping into fixes. For example it’s been confirmed there was an engineering fix starting on the 22s for the wind noise fix. That obviously costs money. Ford doesn’t want to lose money. So they substitute “features/parts” for these fixes. This is just speculation. I really have no idea lol but I just know they’re always looking to save money.
 

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#16
I mean... I've been on here since December, in that time I've read nothing that leads me to believe the 21 or 22 are that much better than the 20 to warrant the loss of the 4 bolt and the other things that were standard that no longer are. I wont keep this going as not to hijack the thread but please if you can provide evidence to what your saying are improvements I'll gladly listen but so far all you've said is its better cause its a year newer and I'm sorry thats just not a good argument.

Heres a small list of said downgrades (feel free to chime in if i missed any):
3 bolt subframe (which to me alone is a deal breaker)
no more light up cup holders
got rid of the rear center console
no more external diverter valve (stock location to add a BOV)
cheaper interior trim in several places (although i will admit this seems to be random between all years)

I'm sorry man you wont convince me.... to me it seems like Ford is just rolling them out as cheap as they can and getting away with it. I specifically shopped for a 20 based on that info from everything I read prior to buying. I'm not even saying the 21-22s are bad in any way but Ford has cut some corners and one of them is major.
 

st8

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#17
I mean... I've been on here since December, in that time I've read nothing that leads me to believe the 21 or 22 are that much better than the 20 to warrant the loss of the 4 bolt and the other things that were standard that no longer are. I wont keep this going as not to hijack the thread but please if you can provide evidence to what your saying are improvements I'll gladly listen but so far all you've said is its better cause its a year newer and I'm sorry thats just not a good argument.

Heres a small list of said downgrades (feel free to chime in if i missed any):
3 bolt subframe (which to me alone is a deal breaker)
no more light up cup holders
got rid of the rear center console
no more external diverter valve (stock location to add a BOV)
cheaper interior trim in several places (although i will admit this seems to be random between all years)

I'm sorry man you wont convince me.... to me it seems like Ford is just rolling them out as cheap as they can and getting away with it. I specifically shopped for a 20 based on that info from everything I read prior to buying. I'm not even saying the 21-22s are bad in any way but Ford has cut some corners and one of them is major.
You need to keep reading. But real quick to add your downgrades. I’ll give you the 3 bolt and cupholders. Although the latter I assume is chip related. It was also removed from the f150s. BOV is now computer controlled. Seems like an improvement to me. Although I’m no engineer. Getting rid of center console in 2nd, thank god!! That plastic was ugly junk that just got in the way. There is a reason most 3 row suvs lack something like that. Cheaper interior?? I don’t seem to read anymore stories about the black plastic piece falling off the driver seat. So many reports of that that required numerous fixes.

Keep reading. But I will totally give you the 3 bolt subframe. But guess what, I’m guessing most of us here aren’t mechanical engineers. Certainly none that work for ford. I have to trust their decision. I’m not going to live my life stressing about a bolt. Especially since I’m not planning to go overly hard on my ST as far as modding goes. Everyone that has had theirs break, had it replaced. And most if not all were modded STs. It’s still bs of ford.

many people are swapping their 20s for a 21/22 thanks to the crazy market. If the 20 was so much better, people wouldn’t bother.
 

Last edited:
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#18
Your right, I am by no means a mechanical engineer... but I've worked on enough high performance vehicles to understand why that was a terrible decision on Fords part... and your probably right, non modded likely it will never be an issue... I'm still not seeing your argument, I pointed out plenty that Ford removed... I've yet to hear one good reason as to why the 21-22 is better other than its newer and Ford said so... The monetary gain reason is nothing but a bi-product of this inflated screwed up market because the Dealers know they can make more profit on used vehicles than they can new. So again, if you can provide me with said improvements or point me to where to "read more" as you put it, ill concede my point. But several months here and lots of research and I have yet to find a solid reason that would want me to buy a 21 over a 20 if presented the option. Regardless I'll back out on this thread. Sorry OP to highjack. Hopefully an aftermarket offers a solution to add ambient after the fact and wish you nothing but luck with your 22. Their still great vehicles regardless of the aforementioned.
 

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Detroit, MI, USA
#19
Yeah you are right. I mean I think that’s for a lot of manufacturers right now. I think all these manufacturers are cheap and always looking for ways to cheap out.

I also wonder if it’s because the money they end up dumping into fixes. For example it’s been confirmed there was an engineering fix starting on the 22s for the wind noise fix. That obviously costs money. Ford doesn’t want to lose money. So they substitute “features/parts” for these fixes. This is just speculation. I really have no idea lol but I just know they’re always looking to save money.
 

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#20
So what did they do to fix the wind noise?
 

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